citations per 100 inspection hours
ⓘThis rate is recorded citations divided by MSHA inspection hours, per 100 hours. It reflects inspection effort, not mine size or production.
Rate withheld: 494 inspection hours is too few for a stable rate. A minimum of 1,000 inspection hours is required.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
Imminent-danger orders
ⓘA Section 107(a) order removes miners from an area when an inspector finds an imminent danger. Each order is lifted once the condition is corrected, so this counts orders issued, not orders now in effect.
1
Section 107(a) orders
Most recent order: 2023-08-23.
On record since 2023.
Source: MSHA imminent-danger order records, updated weekly.
Northmet has $8K in proposed MSHA penalties and $0 outstanding across 1 contested dockets.
Penalty disposition
ⓘDifferences between proposed and paid penalties reflect both settlements and conference reductions and amounts still owed. Outstanding is the balance currently owed.
$8K
proposed penalties
$8K
current assessed
$8K
paid to date
$0
outstanding
27 assessments are final orders; 1 contested dockets.
Of $3K in penalties contested before the Commission, $3K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2026-04-28.
Source: MSHA assessed-violations and conference/litigation data, updated weekly.
Violation severity profile
ⓘShares are computed over citations that carry the MSHA gravity and negligence coding; a small share of records are uncoded.
Source: MSHA violations gravity and negligence coding, updated weekly.
When citations were contested
ⓘContesting a citation before the Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission is a lawful right. These figures state the public outcomes of that process, from MSHA's Contested Violations file.
1citations taken to the federal commission · 4% of citations on record
Settled
1 · 100%
100%
S&S designation survived the contest
ⓘCounts a Significant & Substantial citation as surviving when a settlement or judge's decision kept the designation, or the contest was dismissed or defaulted so the citation stands as issued. Vacated and withdrawn citations, and settlements that removed the designation, count against.
of 1 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
10%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$3K proposed, $3K after decisions · industry: 39%
Source: MSHA Contested Violations file (public record), updated weekly. A dismissed or defaulted contest leaves the citation standing as issued; a vacated or withdrawn citation is removed from the violation record. Latest contest filed 2023-12-12.
Contested penalties
ⓘA reduction or dismissal at the Commission is a lawful outcome of contesting a proposed penalty. Figures are the proposed amount and the amount upheld in the docket's decision.
Largest penalties this mine contested before the Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission, with the outcome on record.
Health sampling
ⓘA sample is a point in time compliance measurement, not an individual exposure history. These figures describe MSHA sampling records and do not establish causation or personal dose.
Metal and nonmetal contaminants (personal samples)
ⓘMany samples are screening measurements of substances with no applicable exposure limit; they are counted as samples but excluded from every over-limit figure. Over-limit shares use only limit-tested samples.
Last sampled: 2023-07-18, 3 years ago
0%
of limit-tested samples over the exposure limit
12
samples
10
limit-tested
Most sampled contaminants
Lead fumes10
Respirable dust, <.1mg2
Show the individual readings (12)
Date
Contaminant
Concentration
Limit
Conc / limit
Occupation
2023-07-18
Lead fumes
5
150
0.03
Laborer, Bullgang
2023-07-18
Lead fumes
2.54
450
0.01
Laborer, Bullgang
2023-07-18
Lead fumes
2.89
450
0.01
Laborer, Bullgang
2023-07-18
Lead fumes
42
150
0.28
Laborer, Bullgang
2023-07-18
Lead fumes
7
150
0.05
Laborer, Bullgang
2023-07-18
Lead fumes
4.69
450
0.01
Laborer, Bullgang
2023-07-18
Lead fumes
9.69
450
0.02
Laborer, Bullgang
2023-07-18
Lead fumes
7
450
0.02
Laborer, Bullgang
2023-07-18
Lead fumes
21
150
0.14
Laborer, Bullgang
2023-07-18
Lead fumes
0
450
0.00
Laborer, Bullgang
2023-04-18
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Building Repair/Maint.
2023-04-18
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Supervisor, Co. Official
Area samples (mill and shop air)
Last sampled: 2023-08-28, 3 years ago
10
samples
Show the individual readings (10)
Date
Contaminant
Concentration
Limit
Conc / limit
Area sampled
2023-08-28
Asbestos 0.1f/cc
0
MP CONSTRUCTION
2023-08-28
Fibers, >5um
0
MP CONSTRUCTION
2023-08-28
Asbestos 0.1f/cc
0.09
MP CONSTRUCTION
2023-08-28
Fibers, >5um
0.19
MP CONSTRUCTION
2023-08-28
Asbestos 0.1f/cc
0
MP CONSTRUCTION
2023-08-28
Fibers, >5um
0.12
MP CONSTRUCTION
2023-08-28
Asbestos 0.1f/cc
0
MP CONSTRUCTION
2023-08-28
Fibers, >5um
0
MP CONSTRUCTION
2023-08-28
Asbestos 0.1f/cc
0
MP CONSTRUCTION
2023-08-28
Fibers, >5um
0
MP CONSTRUCTION
Source: MSHA respirable dust, quartz, and noise sampling records, updated weekly. Metal/nonmetal contaminant figures come from MSHA's Personal Health Samples and Area Samples files (public record), updated weekly.
Northmet recorded 2.18 reportable injury cases per 100 full-time workers in 2025.
Injury rate, 2025
ⓘThis rate is reportable injury cases per 100 full-time-equivalent workers per year, computed as 200,000 times cases divided by MSHA operator-reported employee-hours. Cases are injuries MSHA graded degree 01 through 07; accident-only events that hurt no one are excluded, and so are contractor injuries, whose hours do not attach to a single mine. Rates begin in 2000, when quarterly employment reporting starts, and are withheld below 20,000 hours in a year.
2.18
total case rate
0.00
days-away rate
0.000
fatality rate
Above average. The US metal and nonmetal mining average was 1.65 and the all-US-mining average was 1.97 cases per 100 workers.
In Minnesota, metal and nonmetal mining averaged 1.47 cases per 100 workers that year.
Under 100,000 employee-hours were reported that year, so a single case moves the rate by two or more. Read the figure as approximate.
Year
total case rate
days-away
fatal
2025 *
2.18
0.00
0.000
2024 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2023 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2022 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2021 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2020 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2019 *
3.91
0.00
0.000
2018 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
* Fewer than 100,000 employee-hours that year; the rate is less stable.
Source: injury cases from MSHA accident and injury records; employee-hours from MSHA quarterly employment reports. Rate is cases per 100 full-time-equivalent workers, operator employees only.
Source: MSHA controller and operator history, updated weekly.
Workforce and production
Year
Employees
2026
43
2025
50
2024
57
2023
58
2022
35
2021
35
2020
32
2019
34
2018
30
2017
29
2016
24
2015
14
2014
15
2013
14
2012
12
2011
18
2010
17
2009
17
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
Northmet sits in St. Louis County, Minnesota, where the Census mining category is 2.3% of county employment.
Local economic context
ⓘCounty figures come from the US Census Bureau's American Community Survey, 5-year pooled estimates, so the 2023 vintage covers 2019 through 2023. The Census category is 'mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction', which is broader than MSHA jurisdiction and includes oil and gas workers no mine employs. These figures describe the surrounding county, not this mine, and are not a factor in any specific incident.
St. Louis County, Minnesota · Population 200,056
2.3%
Mining share of county employment
$69,455
Median household income
Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2023 5-year estimates.
Quarterly safety rates
ⓘCitations per million reported employee-hours. Rates begin in 2000, when MSHA's quarterly employment data starts; earlier incidents are counted but cannot be rate-adjusted. Quarters under 100,000 reported hours are greyed: too few hours for a stable rate.
Citations per million employee-hours, as reported to MSHA
Quarter
Hours worked
Citations
S&S
Per 1M hrs
2026 Q2
15,108
3
0
198.6
2026 Q1
15,484
0
0
0.0
2025 Q4
21,152
0
0
0.0
2025 Q3
19,406
0
0
0.0
2025 Q2
25,912
0
0
0.0
2025 Q1
25,416
0
0
0.0
2024 Q4
20,728
0
0
0.0
2024 Q3
27,808
0
0
0.0
Show 60 earlier quartersHide earlier quarters
Quarter
Hours worked
Citations
S&S
Per 1M hrs
2024 Q2
23,264
0
0
0.0
2024 Q1
23,175
2
0
86.3
2023 Q4
23,346
0
0
0.0
2023 Q3
20,626
1
0
48.5
2023 Q2
17,953
0
0
0.0
2023 Q1
14,622
0
0
0.0
2022 Q4
13,194
0
0
0.0
2022 Q3
13,048
0
0
0.0
2022 Q2
13,300
0
0
0.0
2022 Q1
12,809
0
0
0.0
2021 Q4
14,678
0
0
0.0
2021 Q3
15,101
0
0
0.0
2021 Q2
15,152
0
0
0.0
2021 Q1
14,663
0
0
0.0
2020 Q4
13,984
0
0
0.0
2020 Q3
14,162
2
0
141.2
2020 Q2
14,002
0
0
0.0
2020 Q1
13,586
0
0
0.0
2019 Q4
12,993
0
0
0.0
2019 Q3
12,586
0
0
0.0
2019 Q2
12,531
0
0
0.0
2019 Q1
13,027
2
0
153.5
2018 Q4
11,565
0
0
0.0
2018 Q3
12,921
0
0
0.0
2018 Q2
11,950
1
0
83.7
2018 Q1
10,810
0
0
0.0
2017 Q4
11,271
0
0
0.0
2017 Q3
11,995
0
0
0.0
2017 Q2
11,786
0
0
0.0
2017 Q1
4,940
2
0
404.9
2016 Q4
11,321
0
0
0.0
2016 Q3
11,329
0
0
0.0
2016 Q2
11,342
0
0
0.0
2016 Q1
5,980
0
0
0.0
2015 Q4
5,980
0
0
0.0
2015 Q3
6,957
0
0
0.0
2015 Q2
7,540
0
0
0.0
2015 Q1
7,540
0
0
0.0
2014 Q4
7,627
0
0
0.0
2014 Q3
7,800
1
1
128.2
2014 Q2
7,627
0
0
0.0
2014 Q1
7,280
0
0
0.0
2013 Q4
7,280
0
0
0.0
2013 Q3
7,280
0
0
0.0
2013 Q2
7,107
0
0
0.0
2013 Q1
6,240
6
0
961.5
2012 Q4
6,240
0
0
0.0
2012 Q3
6,240
0
0
0.0
2012 Q2
6,240
0
0
0.0
2012 Q1
6,240
0
0
0.0
2011 Q4
8,793
0
0
0.0
2011 Q3
8,665
0
0
0.0
2011 Q2
9,185
0
0
0.0
2011 Q1
9,316
0
0
0.0
2010 Q4
8,840
0
0
0.0
2010 Q3
8,840
0
0
0.0
2010 Q2
8,840
0
0
0.0
2010 Q1
8,840
0
0
0.0
2009 Q4
8,840
0
0
0.0
2009 Q3
8,840
0
0
0.0
No fatalities recorded at this mine.
Reportable incidents
8 on file
2025 · 1 incident
September 18, 2025MN · Metal/Non-Metallab technicianOTHER
Worker was mounting the MuddOx and felt a back spasm when sitting down. Location was lower left backpain. Initial spasm was very painful and got a little better after walking for a little while.
2024 · 1 incident
October 1, 2024MN · Metal/Non-Metalmaintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service techHANDLING OF MATERIALS
Employee was walking while performing geologic mapping in a wooded area west of the Concentrator. While walking ee tripped over some brush and downed branches, fell onto a rock, striking left knee, which resulted in a laceration that required sutures.
2017 · 2 incidents
September 25, 2017MN · Metal/Non-Metallaborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitmanHANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
Employee was assisting in repairs to 2 1/2" overhead piping with a 24" pipe wrench. Employee reported soreness in left shoulder and neck after reaching for a short length of pipe, that was being used for leverage on the pipe wrench, when the short length of pipe slipped off the wrench handle. The accident occurred on 9/12/2017 and the employee was seen by the doctor on 9/25/17.
Injured was assisting in removing a pipe flange bolt. Injured reached for a combination wrench that was falling off the bolt head to put it back on the head. As EE reached for the wrench the co-worker loosened the nut with a ratchet wrench. The combination wrench reacted to the movement of the ratchet and injured's right middle finger was pinched between the pipe and the wrench.
2016 · 1 incident
August 31, 2016MN · Metal/Non-Metalbuilding repair man, maintenanceMACHINERY
Contract employee was using a handheld electric grinder to cut bolts off of a plastic pipe flange. The pipe was positioned on the ground at the operation's tailings basin. The grinding wheel contacted the employee's left wrist causing a laceration the required medical treatment.
Fire in the bus bar raceway above the "West 10x8 Slurry Pump..." cabinet in the MCC in the unoccupied, idle Fine Crusher. Spare parts that were stored nearby were ignited. The raceway, bus bars, bus bar supports and ten ft. of cable in the E11 tunnel were damaged. The cause of the fire is thought to be an animal contacting the bus bars or power cable failure.
2009 · 1 incident
July 10, 2009MN · Metal/Non-Metalclerk, timekeeper, office worker, director of salesSLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Employee was descending stairs from the second floor to the first floor, in the Administration Office Building, stumbled at the landing that was located halfway between the second and first floors. Employee sustained a metatarsal fracture of the fifth (small) toe on the right foot.